Southern Illinois University
Saluki Fast Start Invitational
Track And Field Compete Well At Season Opener
12/06/2002 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
Dec. 6, 2002
Carbondale, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University men's and women's track and field teams held its season opener Friday night hosting the Saluki Fast Start at the SIU Student Recreational Center.
SIU turned out several top performances in the non-scored meet. The women's field consisted of Southeast Missouri State, Lincoln University, the University of Louisville, and SIU. Participants in the men's field were Southeast Missouri State, Lincoln University, Rend Lake College, and SIU.
Women Perform Personal Bests--The women collected five firsts. Korto Dunbar (jr., Greenbelt, Md.) ran a personal-best in the 55-meter hurdles (8.04). Danielle Lawary (jr., Belleville, Ill.) won both the weight throw and the shot put. High jumper Latrice Gray (sr., Wood Dale, Ill.) won her specialty clearing 5-6. Inna Turevsky (so., Rishon LeZion, Israel) took first in the triple jump (38-6).
"I was really pleased with everyone's performances," said head women's coach Connie Price-Smith. "Everyone competed hard. We had several personal bests. We've been training hard this fall and it showed."
Marian Appiah-Kubi (sr., Toronto, Canada) was second in the 400 meters (57.17). Appiah-Kubi and Dunbar ran second and third in the 200 meters in 25.71 and 25.91, respectively. Venisha Williams (so., Ferguson, Mo.) picked up a third in the weight throw with a toss of 51-9.
Dunbar, Appiah-Kubi, Sheree Ledwell (so., South Holland, Ill.) and Laura Grafton (sr., Garden Prairie, Ill.) ran to a second place finish in the 4x400 meter relay in a time of 4:08.24.
Men Place Top In Several Events--Felix Anderson (fr., Harvey, Ill.) ran to a first place finish in the 400 meters (49.03). Marvin Primo (sr., Brooklyn, NY) won the 200 meter dash in 22.13. He was followed by teammates Anderson , B.J. Davis (jr., Cleveland, Ohio), and Maurice Moss (fr., Poplar Bluff, Mo.) with times of 22.29, 22.31, and 22.58, respectively.
Tony LaChiana (so., Oak Lawn, Ill.) was first in the 3000 meters with a time of 9:06.38. Orane Morgan (so., Kingston, Jamaica) won the 800 meters in 2:00.34. Paul Whitaker cleared 6-8 in the high jump for first place. Freshman Freddy Rule was second (6-6).
Kevin Mills (sr., Bethel, Tobago) was runner-up in the 55 meter dash (6.46) while Primo took third (6.47). Freshman Ray Scotten (Indianapolis, Ind.) placed second in the pole vault clearing 15-6.
The 4x400 meter relay unit of Moss, Morgan, Anderson, and Luke Stenberg (so., Joliet, Ill.) took first in 3:28.96. Primo, Mills, Justin Bryant (so., Peoria, Ill.), and Ryan Hauser (jr., Lake Villa, Ill.) finished second in 3:40.16.
"I thought the meet went very well," said men's head coach Cameron Wright. "The team competed hard. Now it's time to go home and train, and not lose anything we've gained this fall."
The Salukis will host the co-ed McDonald's Invite Jan. 17-18 at the SIU Rec Center.
